The college application process can be exciting and stressful for high school seniors across the United States. As they transition from adolescence to adulthood, they find themselves caught between the thrill of pursuing higher education and the dread of completing what seems to be the most annoying task ever: the Common Application, or Common App for short. The Common App platform allows students to apply to multiple colleges and universities with a single application. While it was designed to streamline the application process, many high school seniors view it as a significant source of frustration, and here’s why.
The Endless Information Gathering: The Common App requires students to provide personal information, from academic records to extracurricular activities, recommendations, and more. High school seniors often find themselves drowning in paperwork, transcripts, and recommendation letters. The endless information gathering can be overwhelming and time-consuming. Seniors may spend hours, if not days, trying to gather and input all the required data, which takes away from other essential aspects of their senior year.
The Repetitive Essay Questions: One of the most annoying aspects of the Common App is the essay section. While essay questions are an essential part of the college application process, many high school seniors find the Common App’s essay prompts to be repetitive and uninspiring. The questions often revolve around overcoming adversity or discussing a significant life event. Seniors are expected to pour their hearts out repeatedly, addressing the same themes continually for each school they apply to. This repetitive process can lead to “essay fatigue” and a feeling of artificiality in their responses.
The Tedious Formatting: Formatting the Common App can be a nightmare. Students need to meticulously format their responses, making sure they adhere to the character or word limits. The online platform only sometimes cooperates, causing frustration as students need help to make their essays fit.
